How to Dispose of Cutting Board & Chopping Board
- 1Kitchen cutting boards have distinctly different disposal routes based on their material: solid wood and flexible silicone boards cannot be mechanically recycled and must be discarded 100% inside general municipal trash bags (Jongnyangje).
- 2Single-resin PP plastic boards go into plastics, and bare stainless steel boards go into scrap metal.
- ✓In contrast, tempered glass cutting boards must never be mixed with bottle glass—wrap them securely in paper and dispose of them inside non-combustible waste bags or general trash.
How to Dispose (6 Steps)
- 1
Identify material and cleanse food residues: Check the board material (wood, plastic, tempered glass, silicone, stainless steel), rinse off surface grease, and let dry.
- 2
Discard wooden cutting boards in general trash: Solid wood and bamboo cannot be recycled; ensure the board is dry and discard inside municipal general trash bags (Jongnyangje).
- 3
Sort plastic vs. silicone cutting boards: Pure single-resin PP/PE boards go to plastic recycling; composite antibacterial boards with rubber rims and silicone boards belong in general trash.
- 4
Safely dispose of tempered glass boards in non-combustible sacks: Never throw tempered glass into glass bottle recycling; wrap thickly in newspaper and place in non-combustible PP sacks.
- 5
Recycle stainless steel boards as scrap metal: Rinse food stains from pure stainless steel chopping boards and dispose of them for free in municipal scrap metal bins.
- 6
Bulky waste sticker for oversized butcher blocks: If extra-thick end-grain wooden blocks exceed municipal 50L trash bag dimensions, purchase a municipal bulky waste sticker (₩1,000–₩2,000).
Real-World Examples
Solid timber / bamboo cutting board: 100% municipal general trash bag (Jongnyangje).
Thin single-resin PP flexible index cutting mats: Plastic recycling bins.
Dual-mold antibacterial board with rubber grip edges: General municipal trash bag.
Tempered decorative glass cutting board: Wrapped in thick paper inside non-combustible waste bag.
Full SUS 304 stainless steel chopping board: Scrap metal / can recycling bin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why can't wooden cutting boards be recycled as wood recycling?
A. Municipal residential curbside systems do not maintain separate curbside collection streams for small household timber. Furthermore, cutting boards absorb meat juices, food oils, detergents, and mineral oil finishes, contaminating mechanical particleboard remanufacturing lines. All wooden boards must be incinerated via standard general trash bags.
Q. Why can't tempered glass cutting boards go into glass bottle recycling?
A. Cutting boards are crafted from heat-treated tempered safety glass with a melting point drastically higher than ordinary soda-lime container bottles. In glass furnaces, tempered glass fails to liquefy properly, forming stone inclusions that cause disastrous bottle shattering during bottling lines. Always discard inside non-combustible PP sacks or general trash.
Q. Can flexible silicone cutting boards be recycled with plastics or vinyl?
A. No. Silicone is a thermoset synthetic rubber elastomer rather than a thermoplastic polymer. It does not melt for re-extrusion and contaminates plastic recycling streams. Discard all silicone mats and kitchen utensils inside general trash bags.
Q. Can heavily scarred plastic boards still be recycled as plastic?
A. If manufactured from single-material PP plastic and thoroughly washed of oils and food debris, it can enter plastic recycling. However, if deep blade scars harbor irreversible mildew colonies or the board features bonded non-slip rubber edges, discard the unit inside general municipal trash.